


Haunted Dreams

by Kittens



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, M/M, Sharing a Bed, idiots don't realize they have feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-21 07:56:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19370437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittens/pseuds/Kittens
Summary: It's not the first time Kylo has been unable to sleep. The solution, he thinks, is with Hux. But he doesn't think Hux has any interest in helping him.





	Haunted Dreams

It was a bad idea.

Kylo told himself that as he walked down the corridor to Hux's quarters. It was a terrible idea. He should turn around and go back to his own quarters and suffer alone. Nothing good could come of showing up in the middle of Hux's sleep cycle.

Even if Hux was open to the idea of helping him, what could he do? Kylo knew Hux would likely kick him out. Assuming he even let him inside in the first place.

Showing up in the middle of the night may not have been Kylo's best idea, but he still found himself standing in front of Hux’s door. He stood there for a few moments, trying to talk himself into walking away. Maybe a walk through the ship would be sufficient to clear his head and get to sleep.

Instead he found himself pressing the button to request entry. He waited but the door didn't open. It really was a stupid idea. Of course Hux wouldn't even open the door. Why would he? He knew he needed to leave, but he stayed right where he was. What else was he going to do?

Kylo didn’t know how long he stood at the door, telling himself he needed to leave. Before he could bring himself to walk away, the door slid open. Hux stood there, a robe covering most of his body and his hair fluffy and free of any product. He had a scowl on his face, and Kylo was certain he was about to chewed out for interrupting his sleep.

“Ren,” he said, rather calmly. Then, his expression softened. “Well, I suppose you might as well come in.”

Hux moved out of the way and Kylo hesitated. He hadn’t expected that. Slowly, he walked inside Hux’s quarters, standing near the door. Surely Hux would make him leave soon.

“I don’t suppose you plan on telling me what was so important you needed to stop by at this hour,” Hux said.

“I…” Now that Hux stood in front of him, Kylo didn’t know how to tell him why he was there. 

"I don't have time for this," Hux said. "Obviously, this isn't that important, so maybe you'll remember why you came here tomorrow." He turned, heading back towards his bed and Kylo realized he would only make him angry if he didn’t tell him why he had shown up.

“I can’t sleep!” Kylo blurted it out and immediately felt his face grow hot, certain Hux would mock him. As Hux, turned back towards him, Kylo looked at the floor, not wanting to see Hux’s reaction.

“I’m sure there’s a medical droid somewhere that could help you with that.”

“I don’t need drugs,” Kylo muttered. “I don’t like the way they make me feel anyway.”

“Well, what do you expect me to do?”

“I don’t…” He hesitated to ask, sure Hux would reject him. But he was already there. “I don’t want to be alone. Could I sleep in here?”

Hux was silent for several moments and at first, Kylo thought it was better than Hux laughing at his request. After a while, however, he couldn’t stand the silence. He knew it had been a stupid idea to go to Hux, but he hadn’t realized how terrible it would make him feel. 

“Sorry,” he muttered, hoping he wouldn’t cry. If Hux saw his tears, it would only make things worse. “This was stupid.”

“Wait,” Hux said before he could leave. “This is… unexpected. But I suppose you can stay here.”

Kylo looked up at Hux and was glad that he didn’t seem angry. Maybe he was too tired and would chew him out in the morning, but that didn’t matter at the moment. What was important was the fact that Hux agreed to let him stay.

“Just sleeping, Ren. I mean it.” It took Kylo a moment to realize what Hux meant by that, but he nodded as soon as he figured it out. Up until Kylo decided to show up in the middle of the night needing company, their relationship had been a purely sexual one. And it still was, as far as Kylo was concerned. He just needed someone nearby and Hux was convenient and available. Nothing would change.

“I’ll stay on the couch,” he said, walking over to Hux’s ugly blue couch. Kylo thought it was an eyesore, but at least it was a place to sleep.

“You’re planning on sleeping there?” Hux asked as he sat down. 

Kylo nodded and then thought about the question. Hux should have simply gone back to bed and not given any thought to him. Unless there was some reason he didn’t want him on the couch. “I don’t have to,” he said. “I could sleep on the floor or something.”

“The floor?” Hux shook his head and for a moment, Kylo thought he was going to change his mind. “I thought you were having trouble sleeping. Wouldn’t the floor make things worse?”

“Probably not,” he said, shrugging. “I need to be near someone. That’s all.”

“And just being in my quarters is enough?”

“If you changed your mind, I can just leave.” Kylo couldn’t think of any other reason Hux was still talking to him. He knew he should get up and go without being told, but he really did want to stay.

“The last thing this ship needs is you in a worse mood than usual because you didn’t get enough sleep. If being in my quarters is what helps you sleep, fine. But…”

Kylo didn’t move, dreading what Hux would say.

“I doubt you’ll get a good night’s sleep on that couch or on the floor. My bed is certainly large enough for the both of us.”

Kylo couldn’t believe what he heard. Hux wouldn’t just offer to let him share his bed. That was not something they did. Ever. 

“Or sleep wherever you want. I don’t care.” With that, Hux turned and went back to his bed. Although he had planned on sleeping on the couch, Kylo couldn’t help but follow Hux. The idea of sharing a bed with him was too tempting to pass up. He paused as he reached the bed and watched as Hux discarded his robe and climbed in.

“It’s going to be easier to sleep if you aren’t staring at me,” Hux said as he pulled his blanket up.

“It’s really okay? If I share the bed?”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want you here,” Hux said. “Wouldn’t you feel less alone this way?”

Kylo nodded but still didn’t move. Hux not only offered to share the bed, but he was trying to talk him into it. He shouldn’t even want to be with Hux like that, but now that he knew the alternative, the couch seemed very unappealing. He moved slowly as he got into bed beside Hux, expecting him to change his mind, but Hux didn’t say anything until he was already in bed.

Hux’s words were lost, as Kylo was still getting over the shock that he was laying in bed with Hux. He just wanted to look at him as he fell asleep. And he couldn’t help but think about what Hux said. He wanted him there.

“What?” Kylo asked, realizing Hux had asked him something. 

“I don’t know if more physical contact would help,” Hux said. “With the whole falling asleep thing.”

“You’re asking if I want to…” Kylo paused, needing to think about Hux’s words. “Cuddle?”

“I wouldn’t call it that,” he said with a frown. “But if you want me to hold you or touch you, I would be willing to do so.”

“I don’t know,” Kylo said. He really didn’t know if that would help him, but he found himself reaching out to Hux anyway. He rested his hand on his arm, waiting for Hux to tell him to stop. But he didn’t say anything. “Whenever I’ve had this problem before, I just stay up until I’m too exhausted to go on.”

“And I’m guessing those are also the days when you’re the crankiest,” Hux said. “I think it’s past time you’ve tried something new.”

Hux reached up and touched the back of Kylo’s hand and he was so shocked by the gentleness of the gesture that he almost jerked his hand away. Hux had never been so nice to him and he never thought that it was something he wanted, but once Hux took his hand in his, the only thing he wanted was for Hux to touch him more.

He scooted closer to him until their bodies were nearly touching. Neither of them moved - they just looked at each other. Finally, Hux let go of his hand and Kylo thought he’d move away, but instead he reached up and stroked the side of his face. Kylo couldn’t help the whimper that escaped his throat. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been touched like that and he wanted more.

Kylo almost immediately closed the distance between them and rested his head against Hux’s shoulder. Having Hux touch his face had been overwhelming, and when he put his arms around him, Kylo thought he might completely break down. He could feel his eyes growing wet but he didn’t want Hux to know how close to tears he was. Closing his eyes, he tried to think of anything but how gently Hux was holding him.

Kylo quickly realized it was impossible to think of anything but Hux. Not with his arms around him. He could feel the warmth from his body on his face and hear the sound of him breathing. Worst of all, he could smell him. Mostly, he smelled like regulation First Order soap, a smell he didn’t usually care for, but on Hux, he couldn’t help but enjoy it.

It didn’t take too long for the tears to start flowing. He hadn’t realized until that moment how much he wanted to be held. Kylo felt his tears soaking into Hux’s shirt and he knew that Hux knew he was crying. He waited for him to tell him to stop and kick him out of the bed, but instead, Hux ran his hand down his back. He continued, stroking him down his back and petting his hair and Kylo didn’t understand why. Hux had never been the type to show affection, and as much as he didn’t want to complain, he wanted to know why.

He tried to lift his head, wanting to ask Hux why he was being so nice, but as soon as he tried, Hux put a hand on his head and held him against him. If he really wanted to, Kylo could have pushed him away, but he decided it really wasn’t that important.

“It’s okay,” Hux whispered to him as he resumed petting him. 

Kylo relaxed for the first time since walking into Hux’s quarters. He didn’t worry about Hux’s motives or if Hux would ever allow such a thing to happen again. All he wanted to do was enjoy the moment, resting in Hux’s arms where he was warm and safe. 

He’d always had trouble sleeping and he couldn’t believe that the solution was to sleep curled up next to Hux. And he knew he would be able to sleep like that. Already, he could hardly move and soon, he knew he’d finally fall asleep.

***

Hux woke up before his alarm went off, although he couldn’t move to check the exact time because Ren was halfway on top of him. He probably could have gotten out from underneath him, but he really didn’t want to. It had been a rather pleasant experience having Ren with him in his bed. It wasn’t something Hux would have thought he’d enjoy, but he was already considering an invitation for Ren to join him more frequently.

When he’d agreed to let Ren share his bed, he assumed he’d gotten all the sleep he would for the night. It would not have been the first time he had to work on less than three hours of sleep. It was never pleasant, but he’d much rather that he was tired than have Ren in a bad mood. At least he wouldn’t destroy any equipment. But to his surprise, he had fallen asleep with Ren in his arms. And they hadn’t moved much in their sleep. 

Hux was on his back, arms holding Ren to him, and Ren had his head on his chest, his weight partially on top of him, He also had thrown an arm and a leg over him during the night, which almost made Hux feel trapped, except he wanted to stay just like that.

He never would have imagined being comfortable sharing a bed with anyone, least of all Ren, but he felt very well rested. He told himself that it was because of the warmth radiating from Ren’s body. His quarters - like most of the ship - had a chill to them as there was no need to waste energy warming the ship beyond what was necessary. Although that was never an issue while in uniform, it did sometimes make it hard to sleep. Having Ren in his bed solved that issue.

But Hux knew it was more than just having a heat source in his bed. Even when on warmer planets, he hadn’t slept so well. Whatever the reason that he was so comfortable with Ren, Hux didn’t want to think about it. Instead, he focused on the man himself, who was still sleeping in his arms.

He started to pet his hair again, just as he had before Ren had fallen asleep. He really did enjoy the way it felt under his hands and he couldn’t believe it had taken him so long to truly experience it. He’d pulled Ren’s hair before while having sex, but he never realized just how soft it was. 

As he petted him, Hux started to regret the nature of their relationship. They’d had sex and that was it. When they finished, they went their separate ways. They’d never so much as exchanged a gentle touch afterwards. Hux wondered if that would change. More importantly, could it change? He didn’t want this to be the last time he held Ren, but he wondered if Ren would feel the same.

He hadn’t been his usual self when he came to his quarters. That had been very obvious. Under normal conditions, Hux wasn’t sure if he’d be open to a slightly different relationship. He didn’t want to stop having sex with him but he wouldn’t mind if Ren decided to stay after. And if the sex ended up being less aggressive, as well, Hux thought that could be enjoyable as well. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized Ren was not exactly the type of man who enjoyed cuddles. As soon as he woke up, he’d probably get up and walk out the door without a word.

Hux would simply have to enjoy it while it lasted.

When his alarm went off, Ren finally stirred. Hux wished they could have stayed like that longer, but he did need to get ready for the day. He tried to get up so he could turn his alarm off, but Ren held onto him tighter.

“I’m glad you’re comfortable, but I do need to get my datapad. That noise won’t stop unless I do.”

That should have been enough for Ren to let him up, but he didn’t let go. Instead, he found his datapad floating in the air towards him. Hux couldn’t decide if that was a pointless waste of his powers or something useful. Either way, he could turn the alarm off without pushing Ren off of him. Once his alarm was silenced, he returned his attention to Ren.

And he realized Ren was awake and still there with him. Although he did wonder just how awake he really was.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked. He felt Ren nodding against his chest. “Well, you’re welcome to stay in my bed if you’d like, but I do need to get up.”

Ren didn’t move or say anything for a few moments and Hux was starting to worry that he’d fallen asleep again. Then he suddenly let go of him and sat up. Within seconds, he was on his feet and heading towards the door.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

“You don’t need to apologize for anything,” Hux said. 

“I didn’t mean to be like that,” he said. “I won’t let it happen again.”

“Wait,” Hux called as Ren started to leave. He at least stopped and Hux walked over to him. “It helped, didn’t it?”

“Yes.” Ren wouldn’t look at him, so he reached out and took his hand. That got Ren’s attention. “What -?”

“If you need that again,” Hux said, keeping hold of his hand, “I’m more than willing to do that. To help you sleep. Or…”

Hux hesitated. He had no idea how Ren would react to his next suggestion, but he seemed fine with having his hand held. 

“If you’d like to do that. The… um. The cuddling. Even if you don’t have a reason. I’d be open to that.”

“What are you saying?”

“Nothing.” It was Hux’s turn to look away. He couldn’t believe he’d just offered to cuddle with Ren, and he clearly wasn’t interested. But he still hadn’t pulled his hand away, which made things more confusing.

“”Hux, do you want to cuddle?”

“I’m not opposed to the idea.”

Ren was silent and Hux wished, not for the first time, that he was the one with the mind reading powers. But finally, Ren spoke up. “I think I’d like that.”

Hux looked back at him and smiled. And then, he couldn’t resist pulling Ren in for a hug and a quick kiss. He had no idea what their new arrangement meant, but he knew that whatever happened, he wanted to be with Ren for more than just sex.

“Can I come by after your shift?” Ren asked.

“Of course.”

Ren smiled back at him and then they finally let go of each other. Hux hated to leave him, wanting to crawl back in bed with him and stay there all day, but they both had things to do. At least he had something to look forward to at the end of his day.


End file.
